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Honda discontinuing Euro Accord, no replacement in sight

Honda has built two Accords for many years. There's the one we're familiar with here in the United States, and then there's the Accord sold in markets like Europe and Australia, known here in the US as the Acura TSX. But just like Acura did with the TSX, the Euro-market Accord has been discontinued.
The news comes from The Motor Report in Australia, which is reporting that the Accord Euro will be discontinued in 2015. Sold Down Under alongside the US-market model, the discontinuation of the Aussie car indicates an end to Honda's midsize sedan efforts in Europe, where there is no obvious replacement for the four-door and wagon models.
According to TMR, Honda Australia Director Stephen Collins indicated that focus will be placed instead on the US market "wide-body" model, as it's known. That said, this decision doesn't sound like it's sitting too well in Oz.

Acura Integra to capstone combustion era as EV transition begins

The recent launch of the resurrected Integra nameplate is just part of a larger shift in mission at Acura. Its leaders have repeatedly said they want Acura to be the performance brand of Honda, where driving fun and dynamics come first. However, in a new report, Acura says it plans to go big on fully electric vehicles, at even greater speed than its parent company, by skipping the hybrid step altogether. According to Acura assistant VP of sales Emile Korkor, the Integra was a capstone to the internal combustion era at Acura. It marked a sort of homecoming to the marque's performance pedigree, and once Integra is launched, the brand will move forward with electrifying its lineup. The company's plans were revealed in an Automotive News interview, where Korkor said, "We're going to bypass hybrids altogether. So our shift is going very rapidly into BEV. That's our main focus." At first blush, that seems to be at odds with brand boss Jon Ikeda's public statements about Acura. As recently as a couple of weeks ago, Ikeda was saying that he wanted to take the Integra racing, as something of a mascot for the "fun" brand at Honda. Perhaps we've been desensitized to automakers making big proclamations about EV transitions a la Jaguar, Land Rover, Bentley, and Infiniti, but typically the green messaging has not been about performance in the traditional sense. Says Korkor, "We're not just dipping our toe in the water with electric at Acura, we are jumping all in. And that's not just because we need to. It's because we want to. Acura is really focused on performance, and electrification is one of the greatest ways we can augment that performance." While electrification and performance are not mutually exclusive, we have yet to drive an EV that connects to the road as beautifully as a 1990s Integra or NSX did. Acuras have never been about power and torque. Yet they were still compelling performance cars thanks to brilliant steering and driving dynamics. Then there's the issue of what Acura represents. Back in February, Ikeda said that Acura was purposefully holding off on an EV strategy because it needed to re-establish its performance bona fides. Now, Korkor says, "The benefit of returning to the Integra right now is that it's going to help shepherd a new generation of customers and build loyalty as we move into a new era." The problem is, the Integra alone isn't enough to establish that performance cred.

2025 Acura MDX prices rise thanks to new tech and audio

Acura revealed the 2025 MDX in April. Now, in advance of the updated flagship crossover arriving at dealers, the brand's released pricing. We'll start with the numbers, prices rising anywhere from $850 to $1,550, with $100 of that being a higher $1,350 destination charge. MSRPs for the latest MDX after destination, and their differences from 2024, are: Base FWD: $52,250 ($850)  Base SH-AWD: $54,450 ($850)  Technology Package FWD: $57,650 ($1,550) Technology Package SH-AWD: $59,850 ($1,550) A-Spec SH-AWD: $62,850 ($1,050) Advance Package SH-AWD: $67,350 ($2,000) A-Spec Advance SH-AWD: $69,350 (New trim) Type S Advance SH-AWD: $76,300 ($1,250) What's the extra money get? Most importantly, a new infotainment system coded on Google built-in that jettisons the unwieldy and unloved Acura True Touchpad interface for a 12.3-inch touchscreen. Having Google built-in means an enhanced version of Google Maps is on board, along with various apps from the Google Play store (including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay). The center console space formerly reserved for the touchpad and wrist rest houses a wide, shallow bin and an easier-to-access wireless phone charger. Elsewhere in the cabin, there is a new Bang & Olufsen sound system with either 19 or 31 speakers in all but the base trims, better hardware for the AcuraWatch driver assistance suite, and additional sound deadening plus rear laminated glass on most trims. Exterior visual differences are also subtle, with revised lower fascias for both standard and Type S models, new grille inserts for both, and a revised grille surround that removes the chrome lipstick look of the standard MDX. The taillights are now darker, and there are new wheel designs throughout. There might be a few more Easter eggs for MDX lifers, too. A member at the MDXers forum pointed out that the 2025 Advance trim features a body-colored skirting just like the late third-gen MDX instead of the black skirting applied on the fourth-gen through 2024.    As for those trims, the A-Spec with the Advance Package is new, finally letting buyers combine the A-Spec's sportier appearance with the Advance's luxury and tech features such as 16-way power front seats, a head-up display, and surround-view camera. Acura also puts quilted leather seats in the new trim, the stitched hides once exclusive to the Type S.